After 16 years, the Golden 1 Center was alive once again. The Sacramento Kings began their playoff journey by outduelling the reigning champs, the Golden State Warriors in a thrilling Game 1. ‘Light The Beam!’ chants encompassed the entire arena as De’Aaron Fox lit the skies purple. The energy in the crowd was captivating, loud, and passionate. It was clear, Sacramento was longing for such excitement and joy to be back in the city.

And it wasn’t just them who went through the ride of emotions. Several celebrities reacted to the Kings’ inching win over the Warriors to take command of the series.

The NBA community reacts to the dramatic Kings win

“I’m so excited!!! It’s game day!” said Ayesha Curry on her Instagram story right before her husband stepped foot to begin the Warriors’ 2023 playoffs. And boy, what a game it was.

The battle between the California sides did not disappoint. A dynasty tried to hang on against the team swarmed by home support. Stephen Curry attacked with a rally of buckets in the fourth quarter, but each was matched by the Kings. It all came down to one final Hail Mary. The Baby Faced Assassin let go of a one-legged three in hopes of sending the game to overtime, but it wasn’t meant to be.

The Kings won 126-123 in what was a clash of persistence. The fans did their job throughout the night, rallying their team along. Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma gave the Sacramento crowd love for its thunderous energy.

Former Kings star Harry Giles III was all about the win and he tweeted, “Light the mf beam!!!” after the Kings’ thrilling win over the Warriors.

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On the other hand, Josh Hart was in shock as both Kings and Warriors battled it out.

Warriors vs Kings went down to the wire

The Kings had their hands raised in the battle between the Western Conference powerhouses. After nearly two decades of waiting, Sacramento perfectly began its story.

The Kings’ ‘Mr. Fourth Quarter’, De’Aaron Fox, once again shined bright. The 25-year-old rocked the Warriors in his playoff debut. Dancing to the rack at near will, he put up 38 points and 5 assists in a sizzling performance. His former Kentucky teammate Malik Monk played the much-needed role of an unconscious scorer when center Domantas Sabonis had some struggles. The former Los Angeles Lakers guard finished with 32 points for the night.

In contrast, the Warriors had much to celebrate before the game began. Andrew Wiggins was back in the lineup after a 62-day absence. Gary Payton II was up and ready to kick in. The story was going perfectly until Stephen Curry and Co. lost their hold in the third quarter. The two-time MVP scored a team-high 30 points to keep the battle within reach. Wiggins started hot, but couldn’t generate much of a rhythm from three, just like most of the Warriors.

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The defending champions are down, but counting them out has never been a wise choice. ‘A series doesn’t start until one wins on the road’ is a popular belief among NBA players. The Warriors finished within touching distance in their first attempt. Do you think they will come better prepared for the battle for Game 2?